This invention relates to an information platform for limiting power consumed by a processing module constituting a logical system.
In recent years, for improving investment efficiencies for IT systems in companies, needs for consolidation of information platforms are increasing. Owing to the consolidation, processing systems such as a server system, a router system, and a storage system which have been constituted in different casings up to now are integrated in a single casing.
Specifically, in a case of the server system, a blade server in which a plurality of server systems are mounted to a single casing, for realizing saving of space and reducing complexity of cabling of power supplies, networks, and the like is used. In the blade server, components such as a CPU, a memory, and a hard disk drive (HDD) are mounted in a thin case called a “blade”, and a plurality of blades are mounted to a casing called an “enclosure”, thereby realizing a denser platform of the server systems.
Also in a case of the storage system or the router system, generally constituent elements of the processing system are modularized and only the necessary elements are connected in terms of performance to the casing, for securing performance and scalability. As described above, the current information platforms have the constituent elements of the processing system modularized.
As a system configuration of integrating those processing systems into one, an integration platform for integrating the plurality of processing systems by a single switch is desirable. In the integration platform, various applications are mounted to one or more logical systems configured in the information platform, to thereby execute tasks.
In a case where the integration platform is configured by the blade server, each processing module is constituted by a blade, and one or a plurality of processing modules are combined to constitute the logical system. The blade server is equipped with a single or a multiplexed power supply and supplies power to each blade. Generally, the power supply module is designed to be capable of supplying maximum power necessary for operating all the blades equipped in the blade server. In a case of executing tasks, a maximum power permissible is supplied according to the configuration of the system.
For example, JP 2004-178598 A discloses a power supplying method in a blade server system. A procedure of inserting a blade and/or an interconnect device into a chassis of a server being supplied with power or being operated is called hot-plugging. In the power supplying method, prior to supplying power to the hot-plugged blade and/or interconnect device, a fabric type of an already installed blade and/or interconnect device is correlated with that of the newly hot-plugged blade and/or interconnect device, and power supply to the hot-plugged blade and/or interconnect device is switched according to a result of the correlation.
Further, JP 2005-202506 A discloses a power management system in which power is managed by an entire blade server without depending on an operating system (OS) or an application. In the power management system, a blade server includes in a casing a plurality of blades, one or more power supply boxes for supplying power to the blades, and a single system management controller connected to a baseboard management controller (BMC). The single system management controller detects a mounting number of the blades, power consumption of each of the blades, and output power from the power supply boxes, and also controls the power consumption of the blades according to a priority of reduction in power consumption of each of the blades, in a case where power consumption of the entire blade server exceeds the maximum output power.
Further, JP 2004-078935 A discloses a method of managing an operation voltage of a blade in a bladed architecture. In a case of operating a first blade at a first voltage level, the first blade serves as a host for an application requiring a first power distribution, and consumes a part of budget (e.g. heat/power) of the bladed architecture system based on the first power distribution. In a case of operating a second blade at a second voltage level, the second blade serves as a host for an application requiring a second power distribution, and consumes a part of budget of the bladed architecture system based on the second power distribution. The entire amount of budget in this case is maintained by adjusting at least one of the first voltage level and the second voltage level.
The logical system described above is employed in various ways depending on the logical system itself and applications thereof. For example, in a case of operating a Web application, a CPU use ratio is low since the Web application does not require such a high-speed operation. On the other hand, in a case of a database server, loads on the CPU becomes high since high-speed computing processing is required, leading to an increase in power consumption. In the conventional technique, maximum power necessary is determined based on a calculation of the power consumption of the information platform as a whole. Therefore, it is impossible to control the power consumption for each logical system.
In addition, in a case of a blade server, even when the blade server has a system in which a plurality of logical systems exist and a system configuration of the logical systems dynamically changes, power systems for each of the logical systems cannot be changed dynamically because a relationship between a position of the blade and the power module is fixed. An example will be given of an information platform including a blade server having four blades 0, 1, 2, and 3, in which a power module 0 supplies power to the blades 0 and 1 and a power module 1 supplies power to the blades 2 and 3. In the information platform of this type, when a logical system 0 is composed of the blades 0 and 2 and a logical system 1 is composed of the blades 1 and 3, either one of the logical systems 1 and 2 is composed of modules having different power systems connected thereto. In this case, when a failure occurs in either one of the power modules 0 and 1, a failure is caused in both the logical systems 0 and 1.
This invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems and therefore has an object to provide an information platform which is capable of saving power by limiting power consumed by a processing module constituting a logical system, and which improves fault-tolerant characteristics by setting a power supply system in a unit of the logical system.